I know, I know...

Imagine that.  I am behind again.

(Shakes head)

To be fair, though, I am having a really difficult time with the new Blogger.  I am used to formatting my own posts in HTML, but when I try to do so now, things get really weird every time I save or update.  Especially if I use bullet points.  THIS POST took nearly a week to get published, not because it was necessarily long, but because something about the bullets made 90% of my text disappear.  I almost gave up, because, let’s face it, I don’t have a ton of follow through these days.  But somehow I was able to persevere, rewrite the post fifteen times and get it published.

Talk about your first world problems.

Anyway, regardless of the fact that I can’t seem to get bullets to publish correctly (or at all), I am going to go all nutso-cracko and try again.  Because I am a glutton for punishment.

And I am simply too lazy and tired to do more than list a bunch of memories at this point in my life.

So without further ado, here you go:

Trevor's favorite sleep sack.  Obviously.

Banner has successfully transitioned from the Miracle Blanket into the Sleep Sack.  This happened a couple of weeks ago after I walked in to discover my baby attempting to strangle himself with all the extra Miracle Blanket material (not really.  I am being dramatic.  He just got really good at liberating himself from it and bunching the material up around his face and neck; all of which made me extremely nervous).  The Miracle Blanket was a Godsend for the first 3.5 months of Banner’s life, and I would highly recommend it to any new parents out there.  I honestly thought my baby HATED to be swaddled when I first brought him home from the hospital, but he actually loved it as long as he couldn’t “escape” the confines of what my mother referred to as “the baby straight jacket”.  The Miracle Blanket was the only swaddling blanket, device – anything! - that could contain my little Houdini.  I credit the Miracle Blanket for Banner’s sleeping 6 or 7 hours a night starting at week five.  Seriously, it is fabulous and totally worth the $25 a pop.

Why do babies sleep with their butts in the air?

The Sleep Sack is equally fabulous.  I purchased two of the transitional ones, because I figured it would take Banner awhile to get used to sleeping with his arms out.  However, not even Velcro could contain the mighty Thor, so it was less of a gradual transition and more of a, “Ghee, that isn’t working.  Let’s just see how he does with his arms out.”  Amazingly, Banner didn’t seem to mind at all, and we suffered no ill effects sleep wise.  Of course, now that his arms are free, it is impossible to keep the little guy on his back.  He much prefers sleeping on his tummy (which is fabulously ironic considering how much he used to complain about tummy time).  At first this had Trevor and I all worried, because all the books and doctors will tell you that back is best (because SIDS!).  But how, exactly, do you keep a baby who can roll over from rolling over?  The answer:  You can’t.  We know because we tried.  We’d sneak into the nursery and flip him over, only to have him roll back on his tummy the second we stepped away from the crib.  We kept trying, however, until we both realized that our attempts to control his sleep position were completely futile, and gave up.  Now we only attempt to adjust his sleep position if we notice on the monitor that he is too close to the bars.  Otherwise, he gets marks on his head from sleeping with his head pressed into them, or we walk in later on to discover one of his arms sticking out. 

Seriously?  It makes no sense but - oh - how I LOVE it!

Banner prefers the shag carpet at daycare over the mat with all the colors.  Don’t ask me how, but Trevor figured this out and all of Banner’s teachers at school have told me since that, “Daddy knows!  Daddy knows!”  All this explains why Trevor now fancies himself a super dad, which is super irritating.

Oh, I could just eat his face!  So cute!

The little dude has been going through some sort of growth spurt recently.  How do we know?  Well, he’s been sleeping more during the day (two hour naps!), a little more cranky at night (hello, 8 PM fits) and eating like a little piglet (8+ ounces a feeding, six times a day).  The latter has me desperately trying to keep up.  Most days I am able to produce just what he needs (+/- 48 to 50 ounces in 24 hours), but more and more frequently, we are forced to dip into my frozen stores to get through the day.  As silly as it sounds, it makes me feel like a failure when I don’t produce enough to keep up, and I haven’t frozen any new milk in weeks.  Granted, I’ve got at least 200 5 ounce bags in there (and you can totally get almost 7 ounces in each one if you pour it just right), but I miss the days where I was producing enough for both him AND the freezer.  Plus, I was just about to drop my overnight pumping session until the growth spurt started and I realized I’d never make enough without it. 

Speaking of breast milk, my mom, Trevor, sister and I were sitting around a couple of weeks ago, and it came out that everyone had tried mine…EXCEPT ME.  Ew.  Is it wrong that I equate it with pee?  Except, of course, when it comes to Banner.  Then it is milk.

Mornings with mommy have turned into weekend mornings with mommy.  Best part of the week by far.

I had brunch with a friend from high school back in March, and she told me that right around Banner’s four month “birthday”, my hair would start falling out.  She was right.  Good thing she let me know or I’d totally think I was going bald.

One day Banner will have hair.  Maybe.

Banner can now reach the bottom of his jumper without the assistance of a pot or pillow.  His little feet are now squarely on the floor, and he is grabbing at and playing with the attached toys like a pro. 

Ever since giving birth, my deodorant doesn’t seem to be strong enough anymore.

Banner goes days without pooping, and then lets it all rip at once.  On April 28^th, Trevor had the misfortune to be holding his son during one of these “episodes”.  It also happened to coincide with the interior decorator stopping by to drop off fabric (we are recovering our dining room chairs).  One second, the decorator was fawning over the baby and the next Trevor was gagging and covered in poop.  And, just for the record, it is hard to focus on fabric samples when your husband is yelling things like, “Oh, no!”, “You’ve got to be kidding me!” and “Quick!  Get the bath sponge!  I was just going to wipe him off, but then he got it on his feet!” from the nursery.  Ten days later and Trevor still gags when he thinks about the smell.

I used this one on his baptismal invitation.

Banner also exploded at daycare on Friday.  He destroyed two outfits in the process and the little, green bouncer he is always in had to be thrown in the dumpster.  It is bad enough when he totals his own clothes when he blows.  It is something else entirely when he takes the equipment at daycare down with him.  Oh, Banner.

Happy Baby!

The pediatrician’s office sent us a four month checklist to fill out in preparation for his wellness visit on Wednesday.  I’ve started referring to it as Banner’s first standardized test.  The only thing he isn’t really doing yet is laughing.  He chuckles and smiles like he is, but we have yet to hear anything that I can confidently describes as “laughter”. 

He's sexy and he knows it.

Banner started reaching and grabbing things in the last couple of weeks.  He has had toys hanging on his car seat handle for awhile, but only started interacting with them recently.  Now, all I hear while driving around town with him in the back is the “rwttttttttttth” of the “rat” my mom gave him and the three tunes his little lion plays. The good news:  they are as fascinating to him now as they were the first time.  The bad news:  they are as fascinating to him now as they were the first time.

Banner looks like he is completely bald in his pictures, but he actually has hair.  It is just so blonde that it is clear.  And some of the hairs are super loooooong.  At Amy’s wedding, Trevor thought a piece of someone else’s hair had gotten stuck on Banner’s head and went to pull it off.  Except IT WAS ATTACHED. 

Love that he still crosses his ankles like he did in the womb!

My boss almost gave a board member my breast pump before said board member opened the bag and realized that it did not contain the cameras and voice recorders like it was supposed to.  Thank goodness she checked first, because THAT would have been an awkward phone call.

Banner can now latch onto my boob unassisted when I nurse him.  I discovered this over the weekend.  I was getting ready, looked down and he was already attached and going to town.  Weirdest thing ever to not have to get him in position.  Guess I was taking too long.

Still doesn't laugh.  Just smiles really big and makes high pitched noises that only dogs can hear.

Trevor and I were so lucky.  Our friends and family were very generous and showered us with a lot of clothing for Banner before his arrival.  Problem is, it was almost all for the first six months of his life.  He has been wearing six month onesies since right around the three month mark, and I started to worry about him outgrowing these early as well – especially during his most recent growth spurt.  So, Trevor and I have been trying to slowly acquire some new outfits here and there so Banner doesn’t have to go to school naked once his current clothes cease to fit (it was probably pretty gradual, but it felt like he outgrew some of his outfits over night last month).  Except we made the mistake of visiting the Gap last weekend because I needed a new pair of jeans.  And, of course, the Gap is attached to Baby Gap, and everything in there is nauseatingly adorable.  And, furthermore, who am I to deny my son things like a Batman T-shirt with a cape?  Yeah, exactly.

Poor Banner.

My sister was playing with Banner in his activity gym the other night.  One of his favorite toys is this green lion that has parts that squeak, crinkle, etc.  Amy was making the lion’s head move like he was talking or singing, and Banner was completely fascinated and cooing back at it.  It was all very adorable until Amy – all of a sudden and without warning – made the lion ROOOOOOOAR!  Banner’s eyes got all wide and he started to wail.  Amy thought it was all very funny until I wouldn’t let her hold him anymore.

Sitting up by himself using his  gorilla arms.

It was (probably) just a fluke, but the other night Banner clearly said “Mom” while he looked back at me from Amy’s arms.  Both Amy and I heard it.  I think Trevor did, too, but doesn’t want to admit it.  I don’t know why not.  It isn’t like Banner meant to say “Mom” or actually connected it with me. 

LOVE.  IT.

Banner woke up yesterday interested in his tongue.  He kept sticking it out at us and smiling like it was the funniest thing ever.  Everything is fascinating when you are a baby, and it is so much fun to watch him discover new things.

There is nothing sweeter than seeing Banner first thing in the morning or after a long day at work.  He clearly recognizes both Trevor and me now, and lights up from ear to ear when he sees us. 

Unfortunately, because of her surgery and recovery, Banner hasn’t been able to see Grammy Pammy as much, and she was very much dismayed when she went to visit him at school and he seemed not to know her.  While he smiles frequently at Trevor and me, he is starting to get a little more reserved with people he doesn’t recognize.  I am hoping this will prompt more visits from GP – especially before he starts developing “stranger danger” in a month or two!

Such a little man!

My father's birthday was on the 29th, and my sister said HE wanted a carrot cake without raisins.  Which, according to most bakeries, is like trying to find a fruit cake without fruit.  We were lucky, however, and were able to locate one at Kroger.  It was only later, while cutting the cake, that it came out that my father actually enjoys raisins in his carrot cake like a normal person.  The only person who doesn't is AMY.  FFS!

Guess who is finally strong enough to face out in the Bjorn?!

None of my neighbors knew I was pregnant.  Slowly they've all come over to ask me where I suddenly acquired an infant.  Cracks me up.

And that about sums it up (for now).  Please note the lack of actual bullets.  Blame Blogger.